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ACLU FOIA Litigation Continues to Disclose ICE Proposals to Expand Immigration Detention Nationwide

January 15, 2025 (1 min read)

ACLU, Jan. 15, 2025

"Newly released documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union confirm that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is actively considering proposals to expand its immigration detention capacity in at least eight states, including Michigan, California, Kansas, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Texas, and Washington state. The records, secured as part of an ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed by the ACLU in September 2024, reveal that private prison corporations, as well as other corporate entities that provide services to build temporary facilities, monitor compliance, and staff facilities submitted proposals for expanded immigration detention in response to ICE’s contract requests. The discovery comes just weeks after the ACLU received its first and second tranche of FOIA documents revealing that ICE is considering expanding detention facilities in several states. “These records only further confirm ICE’s work to expand immigration detention across the country, including in facilities with clear records of abuse, and in areas where immigration detention has not previously existed. Expansion of detention will only enable ICE to enact President-elect Donald Trump’s plans for mass deportation,” said Eunice Cho, senior staff attorney at the ACLU’s National Prison Project. “We will not stand idly by for the next four years and watch ICE continue to detain immigrants in inhumane and life-threatening conditions.” The new documents confirm that private prison corporations GEO Group, Inc., CoreCivic, and Management and Training Corporation (MTC), as well as Target Hospitality, which provides temporary tent facilities, submitted proposals to Requests for Information (RFI) to expand ICE’s detention capacity and facilities. ..."